


Ashes to Ashes

by CalicoThunder



Category: Destiny (Video Game), Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Gen, Mixed feelings, One Shot, Ray leaves fireteam AH to become an Iron Lord, Rest of AH for a minute, me crying again, ray leaving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-20
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-09-01 03:29:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8605519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CalicoThunder/pseuds/CalicoThunder
Summary: Ray's dealt with abandonment before. But now he's the abandoner, and he's not sure how that feels. If Exos like him can even feel. Even with Saladin's reassurance and a slew of new Lords to familiarize himself with, Ray still doesn't know if his choice was the right one. 
What even was right anymore?





	

“You've done well, Ray.”

  
Saladin’s words bounce around in Ray’s cavernous psyche, barely registered. Yes, he's done well, when hasn't he? But doing well should constitute feeling well, so why does Ray feel like shit? Why does cold regret bite deeper into his wiring then the snow of the Peak?

  
Even here, standing in front of twenty new Guardians, young wolves forged in the fires of the Plaguelands and deemed worthy of Lordship by Saladin, ready to light the final fire and declare the Iron Lords alive again- he still feels lifeless inside his metal shell.

  
Do all Exos feel like that, he wonders, or is it just us shitty ones?

  
“Thank you, Saladin.” He says.

  
The Lords refer to each other by name only, for they are all equal in battle and death, and so should they be in peace and life as well.

  
“These young ones will serve as a powerful statement to the whole system, a promise of a new era in our history. The Vanguard has sent many a congratulations, all thanks to you.”

  
Ray could feel himself breaking under the praise, but the final sentence was the killing blow.

_  
“Did you guys see that? That was fucking awesome!”_

_  
“Yes, Geoff, we were there.” Michael rolled his eyes, but he was smiling anyways._

_  
Geoff continued to recount the battle with wild gestures and crazy faces, pointing at Ray every so often. Gavin jumped onto Michael’s back, kissing the side of his face harshly (those two stopped hiding it a long time ago). The whole group continued to stalk towards the Hangar, desperate for some relax time in the lounge._

_  
They had successfully protected the entirety of Freehold from a heavy Cabal assault, just the six of them; Fireteam AH in its prime. Geoff’s commands had crackled like Jack’s Stormtrance over the comms, producing the fuel to their well oiled fighting machine. Somehow Ray and Michael ended up on board a Cabal gunship, eliminating the crew to prevent them from leveling a nearby skyscraper. Ray found himself pulling the 400 pound body out of the pilot seat and sitting down, trying to steer the thing off course. Michael was eyeing the Exo as well as the battlefield below, where Gavin and Jack were cutting through the infantry reinforcements. Ray obtained control from the Cabal ship, averting course just before he and Michael crashed into the dunes below, and trained its guns on the remainder of the powerful fleet._

_  
In no time flat the entire invasion force fell apart, and the Vanguard was congratulating the six guardians on their victory. A small crowd welcomed them back at the Tower, another boost for the morale of the city, and now here they were, on the way to celebration._

_  
“You should’ve seen Gavin with his Arc Blade, man, Cayde would have been proud.” Jack said, talking to Michael._

_  
The Awoken boy on Michael’s back beamed proudly._

_  
Geoff called their attention to the table of the lounge, near the roaring fireplace, where the B-Team was waiting with plenty of ‘celebration food’._

_  
Ryan fell back in step next to Ray, both of them well prepared to ditch the festivities in favor of going to work, especially since neither of them drank._

_  
(Geoff was the alcoholic one, and he was a fucking Exo. Ray never found out how that worked.)_

_  
“It really was a good victory, though.” Ryan said, turning to Ray. “All thanks to you.”_

_  
Ray smiled._

  
“Thanks for all you’ve done, Ray!” A random Warlock was in front of him, donning his Iron Lord armor and holding his hand outstretched. Ray came back to himself and shook it quickly, grateful that no one could see his face through his helmet.   
The Warlock bowed to Saladin before running off to his Fireteam, flaunting his new sword with bravado.

  
Saladin must’ve been a mind reader, because he picked up on Ray’s discomfort and was suddenly tugging the Hunter away, towards the Iron Temple.

  
“Walk with me.”

  
Ray followed instantly, removing his helmet as soon as Saladin removed his. They strolled up the stone steps to the massive columns, leaving the stunning view of the Cosmodrome behind. Tyra was waiting for them, in the dim halls of the Temple, where Saladin nodded towards her in appreciation. Ray would too, if someone had stuck with him for all these centuries without batting an eye. He had no doubt that the two were close.

  
They ended up in the center of the Hall of Iron, staring at the colossal statues of the old Lords.

  
“You miss your Fireteam.” Saladin said, face made darker by the flickering firelight.

  
“I- I don’t know. I do sometimes, and other times I feel like this is the best move I could’ve made.”

  
Saladin nodded, gesturing to the statues. “I miss mine too. We were powerful together, even more so by our bond- I’m well aware of just how connected you were with them. You made a great team.”

  
Ray nodded, and if he wasn’t a machine he’d be crying by now.

  
“I wanted independence. I just wanted to be able to help people and fight the Darkness my own way, not under the rules and regulations of the Vanguard or with Geoff breathing down my neck the whole time. I wanted-” his voice broke, a little raw on the edges, “I wanted to be free.”

  
Saladin had been listening intently, now turning to Ray. “And you are, Young Wolf. But perhaps your feelings for them are more turbulent than your desire for freedom- you’re a warrior. You know that to control the battle, you must-”

  
“Deal with the biggest threat first.” Ray finished.

  
The fire in the center of the room was crackling, casting orange light and ominous shadows over the old Lords and the Iron Tree. The sounds of cheer and liveliness echoed from outside, reminding the two that a legion of Guardians were waiting for their post-initiation orders.

  
“They look up to you, you know. No matter how you or your Fireteam feels, these Guardians see you as a spearhead of a revolution, rising from the ashes of the Vanguard’s political systems. Consider that, while you consider your choice. You will always be welcome on Felwinter Peak,” Saladin began walking back to the entrance, “Young Wolf.”

  
Ray waited until the roar of the crowd filled the halls, war cries and battle hymns at the presence of the Eternal Sentry, Lord Saladin. He put his helmet back on, eyes never leaving the large hearth. Ashes and embers whipped up into the darkness of the Hall, and Ray found clarity in their whispering glow.

  
He would stay, for himself and the Guardians that believe in him, and for the people of the City. He would stay for the silent, the oppressed, the dead, and the helpless. He would stay to show the Guardians that there’s more than one way to fight the Darkness. He would stay for Saladin.

  
He would stay. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
